Apart from Divinity, Medicine is the highest ranking bachelors’ degree of the University, awarded to those who are qualified to practise in the profession of medicine. Abbreviated M.B. See also: First M.B., Second M.B., Final M.B.

A degree awarded immediately to all who pass the Final M.B. examination to enable them to practise in the profession of medicine without having to wait for a Congregation at which to take the M.B. proper. They usually take the M.B. within the next year. Abbreviated B.Chir.

Public holidays not enjoyed by Cambridge students. Lectures, supervisions and practicals still occur on these days (and on Saturdays too for some subjects such as NatSci and law, so weekends don’t exist for Cambridge students either).

A rowing competition between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

A student drinking relay, conducted between two sides of a dining table, whereby each person in turn has to stand up, consume the contents of their wine-glass, invert it over their head, and sit down again, before the next person on their side does likewise. The side which finishes first wins. There are no prizes.

The most talked of Cambridge rowing race. A solution to the difficulty created by the narrow River Cam to a side by side race. All crews start at the same time, with a length and a half of clear water in between each boat. One wins the race by “bumping” (i.e. making physical contact with) the
boat in front. If neither happens, you are said to row over. Currently two are held each year, one in Lent week 6 (Lent Bumps) and one in May week (May Bumps, or Mays). A significantly dangerous pastime, and therefore an excellent spectator sport.

Means-tested financial aid offered by all Colleges and the University to reduce the burden of tuition fees or living costs. Cambridge has a policy of not letting anyone leave due to financial need or difficulty.

Cambridge University Computing Services. Situated at the back of New Museums Site on Pembroke Street. In charge of the University’s IT services and offers university members free courses in IT and computing.

The Cambridge University Real Tennis Club. The sport played by the CURTC is what was known as tennis before lawn tennis came along; this sport has far more complicated rules than lawn tennis, is played strictly indoors, and is a throwback to more genteel times.

Or the Union. Primarily a debating society, also organises many other events and houses many great facilities. Events include talks from famous speakers ranging from global political leaders to powerful businessmen, to celebrities from the entertainment business; and of course the regular ents such as free Ben ‘n’ Jerry’s, wine tasting, Ann Summers Party, etc. Not the same as Cambridge University Students’ Union.

This is the feeling that your whole life suddenly exists only inside a bubble around Cambridge, with the outside world feeling very distant. This is felt most strongly in your first term, and you’ll often hear people talking about the effect of the bubble.

Another name for Cambridge. Now only used in cantab.net, the website for Cambridge alumni. Students from the other place call Cambridge students “tabs”. A “Cantabrigian” is the correct name for a Cambridge graduate (alumnus), just as an “Oxonian” is someone who studied at Oxford.

The Chancellor was originally the voted representative of the organisation who held an active role within the University. Today the Chancellor is the titular head of the University, who has no executive duties any more and is essentially a fund-raising manager and could represent the University’s interests in court. Currently HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.

A club in Cambridge, with Wednesday night being very popular. A particular favourite at Catz – see ‘Catz Corridor’. It changed its official name from “Cindies” to the current “Ballare” during the summer of 2003.

This is the replacement to the old number 14 bus, which follows the same route through the City centre to the West Cambridge site, but then continues to Cambourne. University Card holders currently have to pay full rate on this service, unlike on the Uni4 service which runs on a similar route. It runs every 20 minutes on weekdays.

There are four grades of academic honours associated with the Tripos exams—one’s marks at University, in other words. In order of most to least desirable, they are: First Class, Second Class First Half, Second Class Second Half, Third Class.

Larger-scale supervisions, typically from five to twenty students. Generally used in numerate subjects to cover topics quickly where more interaction than a lecture is required but a supervision would be a waste of resources.

The centre of your student life. Cambridge is made up of a collection of Colleges, which serve as halls of residence, academic bases and centres of student support. The University only has an administrative and co-ordination role in setting the exams and subject syllabuses. College provides everything a student would need, especially tutorials/supervisions and friendship, except lectures,
which are organised by the subject departments. It is also the basis of traditions and rivalries, and forms a central part of many students’ sense of identity.

Common room, as in Junior Combination Room (for all students), Middle Combination Room (for graduate students), Senior Combination Room (for Fellows). Hence JCR, MCR, SCR. Hence also the committees or representative organisations responsible for the rooms. The expression JCR may according to context refer either to the room or the organisation.

At many Colleges (but not Queens’), an executive committee of the Governing Body. Usually established where the Governing Body is too large to transact business effectively.

In the university, a general term for a committee which is grander than a Board. Each School is governed by a Council. The Council of the Senate is even grander, and the most important Council of all; it submits Graces to the Regent House.

Colleges in Cambridge are built to a loosely-standardised layout, with a central square of grass enclosed on three or four sides by buildings. The area between the buildings is known as a court, or a quad (more at Oxford than Cambridge).

The ancient, obscure, and rarely-used power of the University to demand that persons in statu pupillari boycott a tradesman in Town; such a boycott would mean commercial failure for the trader in question.

Most Colleges of Cambridge have at least one drinking society of its own – some have one for each year. In the years when drinking was regarded to be “illegal” by the University, these were the underground societies which gathered the students to drink “merrily” behind the officials. Since drinking has become openly acceptable, those have become register societies to organise formal swaps and cocktail evenings.

The network access point standard for shared disk space, College printers and the Internet. Used to refer to the plug on your computer which the Ethernet cable plugs into on one end, and into the wall socket on the other end.

Formerly, a rich undergraduate, often a nobleman, who dined at High Table with the Fellows (i.e. he took his Commons with the Fellows). Nowadays, often used to mean a form of College membership which gives SCR membership without quite being a Fellowship, and which entails no teaching or duty, nor confers any privilege.

A.k.a. Societies Fair. Organised by CUSU and normally held in Kelsey Kerridge sports centre on the Tuesday and Wednesday just before lectures start. Where hundreds of University and College organisations, societies and sports teams try to recruit new freshers and generally new members. Lots of businesses have stalls there too and it generally becomes a massive freebies’ heaven.

A term which it used to be possible to apply to students, as in a bedmaker referring to “my gentlemen”, or as in the College regulations of 50 years ago: “In order to minimize Sunday labour for College servants gentlemen are required to vacate their bedrooms not later than 9.30 a.m. on Sundays”.

Academic dress. Undergraduate gowns differ according to College, and are quite small. The higher your degree, the longer your gown gets. In particular, the sleeves get longer. Must be worn on formal occasions such as the formal hall in some more traditional Colleges; everyone has to wear them for matriculation except at King’s, and graduation.

In opposition to Town, a colloquial term for the university and all its members, as in Town-Gown rivalry.

An attempt to run round the outer path of Great Court, Trinity College, during the time it takes for the clock to strike twelve. Significantly difficult, but usually made more so by the contestants all being drunk at the time.

Generally referred to the tiny hillock on Castle Street leading up to Huntingdon Road, where Fitz and New Hall are found. Originated because Cambridge is generally flat and it is an easy job to cycle around, “up the hill” becomes a lot more hard work in comparison.

Classifications of success in Tripos examinations. Honours may be First Class, Second Class, Third Class. The Second Class is often divided into the Upper Division and the Lower Division, as in 2-1 or 2-2.

The better type of B.A. degree. Cambridge honours degrees are not classified.

Academic dress which can be worn only by graduates. The colour and material of the hood identify the wearer’s degree. Hoods are worn only on defined occasions or in defined places, such as chapel, or upon admission to a degree.

In modern usage, a College residential building outside the main College buildings, or domus. Before the foundation of Colleges, hostels for students existed in their own right, as unendowed institutions.

An institution recognised by the University as a place additional to the Colleges, Approved Foundations, and Approved Societies, where students may keep term without special permission to live out of College. Currently recognised are: Ridley Hall, Wesley House, Westcott House, Westminster College. See also: Federation.

I

A process by which a graduate of the University of Oxford or of the University of Dublin (Trinity College) may be admitted to a Cambridge degree equivalent to the highest degree held at either of those universities.

A more modern version of the May Ball, held in May Week. Generally less expensive and of shorter duration, but just as fun. An approach started by Kings College with their King’s Affair, and is now taken up by several Cambridge Colleges, such as Trinity Hall’s June Event.

K

As in Keep Term, to sleep overnight within three miles of Great St Mary’s Church for the requisite number (59 for Michaelmas and Lent, 52 for Easter) of nights within Term. An essential qualification for many degrees.

L

Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender/Transexual society. A community openly accepted at Cambridge. There is a JCR post available in most Colleges which represents and looks after the welfare of this community.

The inter-College league tables which rank Colleges by the proportion of people gaining a certain class of degree. See “Baxter Table” above and “Tompkins Table” below, two examples of these tables which use different methods to rank the Colleges.

A club in Cambridge. Especially popular on Sunday nights. Often worth going to Life at 10pm when it opens to get “stamped”, then head back to Catz and return to Life at about 11:30pm – a stamp will allow you to skip the big queues at 11:30.

In the university, originally the holder of a degree of Master of Arts, traditionally the licence to teach students, as used in the corporate title The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge. Colloquially called M.A.s. The term Masters in the corporate title now includes the holders of any Master’s or Doctor’s degree, and Bachelors of Divinity.

The Wooden Bridge (real name) linking the two parts of Queens’ College. Legend has it (told by the tour guides) that Sir Issac Newton built the bridge without a single nail or screw; then the students and fellows of the College dissembled it and were unable to put it back together. Legend in this case is unfortunately untrue. The bridge was built in 1749 by James Essex the Younger (1722–1784) to the design of William Etheridge (1709–1776). Sir Issac Newton died in 1727 and hence has nothing to do with the bridge. The bridge was then rebuilt to the same design in 1866 and 1905.

Admission into a university or college. To ‘matriculate’ means to be accepted into Cambridge University. Matriculation, or ‘matric’ dinner is the first formal hall affair of term for Freshers with a photograph taken the next morning.

There were formerly three mills in Cambridge at the limit of navigation from the sea. King’s Mill and Bishop’s Mill stood side by side between the end of Mill Lane and Laundress Green. They were demolished in the 1920s and only the two mill races remain. Newnham Mill is now Sweeney Todd’s restaurant. The public house called The Mill faces the site of the former King’s and Bishop’s Mills.

Other side of Cambridge town to Mill Lane, housing lots of students living out. Lots of food shops, Kelsey Kerridge and Grafton Centre are nearby. Home of a “proper chip shop”, i.e. one that sells proper chunky chips, not the crap you get in town.

Natural Sciences, or someone studying it (since the early 1980s). Pronounced ‘natski’, as the “Sci” is short for Latin “Scientia”. Covers physical and biological sciences, respectively called PhysNatSci and BioNatSci.

A University-wide bursary scheme set up by Trinity College in an attempt to use its wealth to help the entire University. Works by contributing to a percentage of an individual College’s Newton Trust Bursary fund taking account of the College’s finance, and the College contributes the rest. Trinity College itself does not receive any contribution from this fund and contributes 100% under this scheme.

An application which does not specify a first-choice College, which results in the applicant being allocated a College by the central Admissions Office (normally one with lower application rate in your chosen subject).

Most College have one or two Organ Scholars in residence each year. They are chosen by competitive audition in September when they apply. Standard of organ playing and sight reading have to be high-between Grade 8 and diploma level. To be an Organ Scholar in most Colleges it means that you’d play the organ for services, direct the College choir and organise some sort of music society. Anyone can apply to Organ Scholarships in August before the main application deadline.

Politics, Psychology and Sociology, another name for SPS (Social and Political Sciences, see below). International Studies was sometimes added onto the end to make it PPSIS. Politics and sociology are now part of HSPS, and psychology part of PBS.

A stage of Tripos examination, as in Part I or Part II. Part II is normally a third or fourth year examination. Part I may be subdivided into Parts Ia and Ib, normally taken in the first and second years. It is usually necessary to obtain honours in all parts to qualify for a Bachelor of Arts degree.

The Fellow responsible for your personal and pastoral welfare during your time at the University of Cambridge. The person to contact if you have any concerns, even academic ones if you feel you can’t speak to your DoS about them. Usually a fellow in a different subject to the one you are reading, their job is to take your side and support you, also in any disagreements concerning university/College matters.

A space in the plodge or College mailroom, generally the “letter box” during one’s time at Cambridge. Check it often at the beginning of Term, especially in Michaelmas. Yours is the one underneath your name!

When a candidate is not given an offer at their chosen College due to the limited number of places for that subject at that College, but the Director of Studies thinks that they are good enough to get a place at Cambridge, they may “pool” them (put them in the winter pool). Other Colleges with place for that subject may then make the candidate an offer, either straight away, or after reinterviewing them. Sometimes, a College may pool a candidate “with strings attached” so that they can compare that candidate against the ones from other Colleges which have been pooled (as the College has to participate in the pool in order to see the other candidates in the pool), and if they do not see any better candidates, the original College may give their original candidate an offer (as they still have first dibs on that candidate “with strings”), or decide to give an offer to a better candidate from the pool. When a
candidate fails their offer by a small amount, or due to reasons such as illness or family crisis, they can be placed in the summer pool to be considered by another College with a place for their subject. The pooling system is designed to make the application process as fair as possible, as the best candidates will get an offer regardless of which College they originally applied to or if they did an open application, as applicant numbers for different subjects at different Colleges can vary by a large degree between different years.

Multi-functional College staff who act as receptionists, administrators (to an extent), mailmen, and sometimes porters. Generally known as the “grumpy old men” in Cambridge – however there are occasionally nice ones and female ones in a few Colleges.

At Queens’ College, Clare Hall, Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish College, New Hall and Wolfson College, the head of the College. At some other Colleges, the President is a Fellow appointed to preside in the SCR.

Class of College Fellowship held by a University Professor, who are forbidden by Ordinance to undertake College teaching. A quota system operates to ensure that all Colleges share the burden of supporting Professorial Fellowships.

A long flat-bottomed boat of shallow draught, originally evolved for shooting wild-fowl, but now popular at both Oxford and Cambridge as a pleasure craft. Propelled by sticking a pole in the river bed and pushing. Oxford, in misguided idealism, insist on punting with the punt the original way around, with the flat gun-deck leading, standing in the body of the craft at the rear. Cambridge, in their pragmatic scientific way, have determined that it is far easier and safer to reverse the punt, and push the pole standing on the gun-deck at the rear. As proof of the evolution of inanimate objects, punts have recently evolved at Cambridge to have a flat deck at both ends, thus making it easier for the tourist to spot the Cambridge end.

The act of propelling a punt. As with all objects where a forward-acting force is applied at a point a long way behind the centre of gravity, a punt is fundamentally unstable, with errors of direction
tending to magnify rather than be self-correcting. So punting correctly (in a dead straight line with no apparent effort) is more difficult than it looks. The secret agenda appears to be that both Oxford and Cambridge have discovered this to be a way of getting tourists to pay large amounts of money to make fools of themselves in public.

R

Raising And Giving. A university-wide charity organisation with RAG reps in every College, working closely with the CRs. It organises events throughout the year, and runs a RAG total for each College to encourage participation.

The ultimate legislative body of the University, consisting approximately of all Masters holding University Office or College Fellowships, or non-masters who have held Office or Fellowship for at least three years. The Regent House meets at Congregations to vote upon Graces and confer degrees.

A College academic appointment typically awarded to higher year research students or junior academics to support their research. Sometimes known as a Junior Research Fellow, or JRF, particularly at Oxford.

System of academic leave, where every six term’s service qualifies one for one term’s paid leave to undertake research free of all other teaching and administrative duties (or six years earns one year’s leave).

Properly, the passage formed by screening off a dining hall from the doors leading to the outside world. Subsequently applied to the notice boards which were hung on the screens gates. Now a generic term for notice-boards.

Situated on King’s Parade, next to King’s College main entrance and opposite the King’s College Chapel. It is where Cambridge students graduate, and Tripos (exam) results are posted outside this building at the end of the academic year for University members to see.

The colloquial way of saying “expelled”. A punishment, now rare, involving premature termination of a university career. In former times, sometimes celebrated with a mock funeral procession (usually to the railway station).

A main lecture and department site located on Sidgwick Avenue next to Selwyn College and opposite Newnham College, housing the departments of most arts subjects, including ASNAC, Classics, Divinity, Economics, English, History, Law, Linguistics, MML, Music, Oriental Studies, Philosophy and Theology and Religious Studies.

Undergraduate and B.A. gowns have slits cut in the fronts of the sleeves through which the arms can be passed when eating so that the sleeve proper does not trail in food. M.A.s and higher degrees do not have these slits; perhaps they are reckoned not to have such problems at table.

The formal legal powers granted to the University or a College by the Crown, acting through the Privy Council, enabling the University or College to be a self-governing corporation. Within the framework of Statutes, the University enacts Ordinances by Grace, creating internal legislation defining how the University conducts itself.

The Sunday before May Week. Usually the day after the last day of exams for the year, before the results have come out. Lots of celebrations occur on this day. So called because students are reputed to drink themselves to death on it, obviously exaggerated (because then you’d miss out on the festive frivolities of May Week, and who would be stupid enough to do that?).

A session of about an hour with your supervisor, usually once a week, to go through work. This is what people often say sets Cambridge apart from other universities, as you get close contact to experts in their field.

The Van of Life and the Van of Death, the two mobile food suppliers open in the Market Square every night from around 8pm until 3am, manna from the gods when feeling peckish after a
night out. See also “Gardies” above.

The unofficial league table started by a Mathematics undergrad called Peter Tompkins in 1981. Published in student newspapers (“Varsity” and “The Cambridge Student”) and national newspapers such as the Independent. See related article.

First Capital Connect operates the express non-stop train service which only takes around 45-50 mins, and semi-fast services which take just over an hour, from Cambridge to London Kings Cross. There is also a slower stopping service over a different route to London Liverpool Street which takes about an hour run by National Express East Anglia. If you’re unfortunate enough to live in the Midlands, train services to there are run by Arriva CrossCountry and are much less speedy.

The formal university examinations in which undergraduates are required to obtain honours in order to qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Triposes may be divided into two Parts, taken in succession as Part I and Part II. Transfer between subjects is possible after completion of earlier parts. The word tripos is reputedly derived from the legend that the examiner sat on a three-legged stool.

The Three Ways (Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic) studied in medieval times by undergraduates for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Hence the pejorative term trivial – elementary, of interest only to mere undergraduates.

U

The University Library. A Copyright Library (which means that publishers must by law send it a copy of every book and magazine they publish in the UK) with an extensive collection of books from around the world. Located near Chad’s. Looks like a foreboding factory. Good place for revision during exam term. You can honestly get lost in there.

University Teaching Officer. See Demonstrator, Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer, Reader, Professor. UTOs are usually, but not always, also Fellows of a College. Nowadays known simply as University Officers.

A bus service that runs from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in south of Cambridge to Madingley Road, northwest of Cambridge, where Churchill College, the Maths dept, the Computer Lab, Science Park and the Veterinary Hospital can be found.
The service is run every 20 minutes during week day and is 50p to all members of university on showing of one’s University Card. source

“A common law corporation, being a corporation by prescription consisting of a Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars who from time out of mind have had the government of their members and enjoyed the privileges of such a corporation.” Probably originated in the 12th century.

V

The university’s preferred alternative word to ‘holiday’, meant to remind you that the ones at Christmas and Easter should be spent on supervision work and reading rather than relaxation – as if. Though do try to do some revision at Easter, it does help.

W

A system of week numbering within Full Term has recently spread to Cambridge from Oxford.
Used at Cambridge mainly in connection with drama, as in “a 6th-week production”.
Week counting is easier at Oxford, where Full Terms start on Sundays and end on Saturdays.

The eight weeks in a full term (when lectures are run – supervisions can be arranged outside this time), a system frequently used in place of calendar dates. A Cambridge week starts on a Thursday and finishes on a Wednesday. See also “Week 5 blues” below.